Buried secrets of the Carso Triestino are about to be revealed. Grotta Martina, a cave of nearly 2 kilometers, awaits our exploration. Its depth reaches approximately 60 meters. Imagine a hidden world beneath our feet.
Grotta Martina was discovered during cave explorations. It has remarkable morphological and hydrogeological features. The cave is part of a complex system of cavities. These lie under Stena hill to the right of Glinščica.
Our journey into Grotta Martina begins on a path. This path descends from the former railway. After passing through a gallery we arrive in Bottazzo. Shortly after the first bend, a trail leads to the cave’s entrance. A brass plate marks the entrance with the name Grotta Martina.
The entrance leads to a descending tunnel. This tunnel follows a fracture. It is clearly of fluvial origin. About 10 meters from the entrance, a widening leads to a 5-meter shaft. At its base, a horizontal tunnel opens into a small cave. Here, some very narrow shafts open up. They are now filled with excavation material. Two impassable tunnels also lie here. One of these tunnels goes into the side of the valley. After a few meters, it reaches a front of blocks.
Explorers worked hard to get past the block front. This allowed them to reach another small cave. Beyond this lies another cavern. It is 6 to 7 meters high, 5 meters wide and about 10 meters long. In the upper part of this cavern, a shaft drops about 7 meters. Its bottom is formed by large blocks. A rising gallery called Ramo alto is richly decorated. After about 40 meters, it ends with a 20-meter shaft. This shaft leads to the main gallery of Grotta Martina.
Returning to the cavern, a low passage leads to the base of the previous shaft. From here, it is possible to descend about 8 meters. This leads to the main gallery. This gallery is a meandering passage. It runs in a NNW direction. Its width varies from one to three meters. The height is about ten meters.
Continuing along the main path, we pass a P11 shaft. A landslide of large blocks seems to close the meander. After climbing about 6 meters, a passage opens. This passage leads to a large cavern filled with fallen blocks. At its northern end lies a lake about 6 meters deep. Above this lake, a difficult-to-access window opens. Beside it, a low muddy passage lets us bypass the window.
About fifty meters further on, a wide 6-meter shaft plunges into another lake. This second lake is also about 6 meters deep. During dry periods, a link has been found between the first and second lakes. Together they form a single basin.
Crossing this second lake, we reach a muddy beach. Beyond it, a short meander ends against a calcite flow. All the gallery walls are covered with mud. At the base of the flow are two small pools of water. When the water disappears after a long dry period, a passage opens. This leads to a muddy corridor. The ceiling lowers to a water-filled basin. Beyond the basin, a narrow chimney leads to the Ramo Christian Tamaro branch.
Grotta Martina’s passages and lakes create a challenging and wonderful experience. Remember Martina Cucchi, in whose memory the cave was named. Her father was a geologist and expert on the Carso region. Grotta Martina remains a fascinating site. It shows the beauty and complexity of the natural world.